A Normal Life
by Zikkie
Summary: After getting captured, Max is injected with a fluid that makes her forget the flock and gives her a chance to live a normal life. She wakes up without any information about her past, or how she got wings. Fang and her are room mates. What could happen?
1. I Dislike Jeb Very Much

**Max, Fang and Iggy= 16. Nudge=13. Gazzy=10. Angel: 8.

* * *

**

Max's POV

We had been captured by the School.

I _don't_ know how! I had just fallen asleep after giving Iggy second watch. Then I wake up to find myself cuffed to a metal bed in a white room.

I also don't know how they got past Iggy. I mean, the dude has the best ears.

"Good morning." A whitecoat chirped, walking into the room. I struggled to lift my head. The whitecoat, who was a man, started pushing my bed out the door.

We passed through a large, white hallway and entered another room.

I saw the flock also cuffed to metal beds. They were unconscious.

"Hi, Max." Jeb was half sitting on Angel's bed.

"What did you do to them?" I growled, trying hard to break free.

"I suppose you're wondering how we got past Iggy." Jeb said. Obviously ignoring me. "Well, we created a new hybrid lately. We call them Chameleons. They can turn invisible and not be

sensed. Amazing, isn't it."

"But, you're my dad!" I said.

"Listen, Maximum." Jeb turned serious. "You're here because we need your help."

"With what?" I spat.

"You know the Erasers. Well, were are suspecting that they are plotting against us."

"But, they practically have no other thoughts than, _kill._" I said.

"There are hundreds of them. Enough to take over the world. Enough to kill people. Anyone who stands in their way." Jeb leaned closer to me. The other whitecoat had walked out of the

room.

I looked hopelessly at Fang's unconscious body.

"What did you to the flock?" I asked.

"We injected the same thing that I'm about to inject in you now.

"Fine. I'll help." I sighed.

"Perfect." Jeb smiled and took out a needle from his pocket.

Immediately, my alarms went off and I started trying to break free.

"W-what's that for?" I stammered.

"We need someone who can predict the future." Jeb explained. "It's a rare, rare power, and many experiments have died trying to get it. And I figured out how to. It couldn't be achieved

by inserting DNA into people. If the mind already knows everything, it'll be forced to feed on a new source of information. The future." Jeb had a twinkle in his eyes. I realized he was crazy.

"I don't know everything." I reasoned.

"The Voice does." Jeb said.

"I hadn't heard from it when I turned fifteen." I said.

"That's because I stopped doing the Voice. I fueled my mind with information, and as soon as I am finished, I'll return it to your mind. You'll know everything." Jeb said. "We do not like to

waste time, so while I am dealing with the Voice, you'll learn something that you only experienced once."

"A normal life?" I said sarcastically.

"Exactly." Jeb said. My confident smile faltered, and then I was lost.

"But I don't want one." I said, my wrists hurting from trying to get away.

"Not exactly a normal life. You'll have your wings and your powers. It's too complicated to explain. But once you wake up, you'll see."

"I don't want to!" I shouted. I squirmed as Jeb came closer. He easily caught hold of my arm.

"I don't want to forget Fang." I whispered, tears coming to my eyes.

Jeb looked sympathetic, but he stuck the needle into my arm anyway.

* * *

**The next chapter will take place three years after this happened. So in the next one the flock's ages will be:**

**Max, Fang, Iggy=19  
Nudge=16  
Gazzy=13  
Angel=11**

**P.S. That little theory Jeb made? Eh, it's fake. I made it up, since I couldn't think of anything else.  
**


	2. Wanted: A New Room Mate

**Max is turning 19.**

* * *

Max's POV

For my nineteenth birthday, my friend gave to me: bad news that she was going to move out and I had to get a new room mate.

I don't care if that doesn't rhyme or not.

I watched, leaning against the doorway. My best, best friend, Destiny, was packing. We got a letter yesterday saying that Destiny's parents wanted her to come home. Her grandmother,

who was 93, was visiting.

It will only be for three weeks, the letter had said.

"Who's gonna be my new room mate?" I complained once she was finished. We sat in the living room, waiting for her parents.

"You can get James." Destiny said.

"Eww, no. Plus, he's already with Jessica." I made a face. James, nicknamed Iggy by everyone, was Jessica's boyfriend. Jessica and him were already room mates. They were practically

inseparable.

"We can put up, like, flyers or something." Destiny said.

"Before the headmaster finds out." I added.

"Yeah." She nodded. "That would be disastrous."

The best part about our college was that we each had our own mini-house. But we had to share with a room mate. It was part of our Community class: to be able to live in an environment

with others and get along.

I don't think any of the other colleges had that class.

But Lerner's was a weird college already, so.

I also don't know why my parents sent me here. Dr. Martinez was an extraordinary vet.

The doorbell rang.

"Don't go! Take me with you!" I wailed.

Destiny smiled a little. I walked her to the front door, and then I opened it.

Her parents stood there, unsmiling like always. Which was weird, since Destiny was the happy-go-lucky type.

"Bye, Max." Destiny and I hugged each other one more time.

"See you in three weeks." I said, and watched as Destiny and her parents got in their car. We waved to each other one more time before they disappeared in the horizon.

I went back inside. I looked around, feeling awkward. There were some pieces of paper and markers, but no way was I gonna make a poster.

I finally decided that I was going to live by myself for the next three weeks. I would…maybe pretend Destiny was still here. Yeah, that was good. Besides, no one visited our mini-home.

And if someone did, I could always say she went out shopping…

I switched the TV on. Some woman was interviewing Monique, a 16 year old who had become a famous actress.

"So, what are some things you're going to do for your birthday, today?" The interviewer was asking.

"Um, I'm having my sweet 16 today, at my house." Monique replied.

So. This Monique girl had the same birthday as me. Wow.

I switched to another channel.

The next four hours passed quickly, and I must have fallen asleep on the couch.

When I woke up, it was nine o'clock in the night. Class started at six in the morning, so I dragged myself to my bedroom, fell into bed, and tried to fall asleep.

I eventually did. Although it must have been, like, one o'clock in the morning already.

**Community Class, the Next Morning**

"Okay, class, attention please." Mrs. Ackerman called out.

Whispers were hushed and I tried my best not to fall asleep.

"…would like to see how you are doing……..project…..checking….your room mate and you tonight, at five o'clock." Mrs. Ackerman announced.

I jerked upward just as class was over.

"Oh, shiz." I mumbled.

I staggered to my feet, still feeling tired. Community class was the last of the day, and we got to go home at three o'clock…

I cursed as I realized I had two hours to find a new room mate.

I bumped into someone rather tall on my way out.

"Sorry." I said quickly.

I looked up.

Fang was staring down at me, his face like a mask like always.

"Hey, will you be my new room mate?" I asked, feeling hopeful. A dude who was silent and who would keep to himself most of the time, I could deal.

Fang seemed to be studying me. The silence was normal. He was always like that.

"Hello?" I said.

"Ma-ax!" I heard Jessica's high pitched voice.

I glanced down at my feet, then back up. Fang was gone.

"I'll take that as a no." I muttered.

"Max!" Jessica walked over to me. "Was that you I saw talking to Fang?"

"Yeah." I said.

"Hey." Iggy walked up to us. The dude was blind, but he had accurate senses.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" I asked him suddenly.

"Five." Iggy answered.

"Dang." I said, lowering my arm. "You're always right."

"You bet I am." Iggy chuckled. "Hey, Jess."

"Hi." Jessica said.

Before the two could start making out, I was already out of the building, ready to flunk class.

* * *

***sobs* I don't know anything about college!**

**So, you see, I made up my own. Eh, it's probably not even _close_ to a real college.**

**Ah, well. Enjoy, anyway.  
**


	3. Like I'd Just Been Yelled At

After school, I went with Jessica and Iggy back to their house. They said it would be fine and I could hide there as long as I want.

So, we bought pizza and played with Iggy's Wii. He beat me and Jessica at baseball.

At about seven o'clock, their phone rang.

By that time, we were all high on soda and running around like crazy.

I picked up the phone. "Hello?" I said.

Someone said something on the other line, but I couldn't hear them over the noise of the TV.

"Turn it down!" I shouted. Immediately, the TV went on mute. Jessica ran over to me.

"Who is it?" She asked.

"Sorry, what did you say?" I asked into the phone.

"Are you coming home or not?" Fang sounded irritated.

I quickly hung up.

"What?" Jessica sounded exasperated.

I jabbed a finger towards the phone. "It-it was Fang! He called!" I choked out.

"What?! What did he want?!" Jessica gasped, pulling out the plug.

I remembered what I'd asked him this afternoon. "He asked me if I was coming home or not."

"Why would he ask that?" Iggy said, popping out from behind the couch. "Unless…" He smirked at me. Jessica giggled.

"He's your new room mate?" She asked.

"Yeah." I replied with dignity. "It'll be like he's not even there."

"But, Max!" Jessica interrupted. "You'll have to share a shower!"

I banged my head on the wall a few times and slid down. "Oh, crap. Crap, crap, crap. Jess, what am I gonna do?!"

"I don't know! _Why_ did you even ask him to? I thought you and Destiny were living together?" Jessica said.

I quickly told them about Destiny being gone for three weeks.

"You can stay here for tonight." Iggy offered. "Sleep on the couch."

"Nah, I'm going to…I'm going to be mature and deal with it." I said, taking a deep breath.

"That's the Max I know!" Jessica pumped her fist in the air. "You can make it!"

"Yeah!" I said, feeling confident. I walked out of their house.

"Besides, three weeks is just…" Jessica gulped. As I began walking, I heard her whisper, "She's not gonna make it."

~~~::~~~

I quietly crept inside my---mine and _Fang's_--- mini house.

It was silent. The living room was empty, so decided to check on Destiny's old room.

I found Fang sitting on the floor, his back facing me.

"Hey, uh, sorry I hung up on you. And that I made you face Mrs. Ackerman by yourself." I said.

He didn't answer. I mean, he could have nodded or something. But he didn't, which meant he was mad.

Great.

"Move if you heard me." I said.

Fang was still.

"Ugh! Fine! Give me the silent treatment if you want! I'm going to bed." I threw up my arms into the air and stomped to my room.

Fang's POV

I plucked the black earphones from my ears.

It was creepily silent. I wondered if Max was home yet.

I felt weird…Like I'd been yelled at.

**Next Morning**

Fang's POV

I woke up. I first felt twitchy about my environment. Then, I remembered. I was living with Max. The girl I had a crush on.

_SHUT UP!!!_ A tiny, effin' annoying voice in my head screamed.

Having wings also came with acute senses. I'd never really learned to get used to them.

You know how I woke up three years ago? On the ground, unconscious. I had been laying on the grass behind a high school. Luckily, no one had seen me.

Although, soon I became a student, permanently labeled emo, and then entered college.

I slipped out of bed tiredly. Thank God today was Friday.

Dressed in boxers, I opened the door to the bathroom. Only to find a Max staring---dreamily?--- at me.

~~~::~~~  
Max's POV(I keep switching…)

One minute I was dancing to a tune on my iPod when the bathroom door opened.

There stood Fang, dressed in… in…_boxers._ Note that I thought that word dreamily.

After that, I snapped out of my two-second daydream and let out a shrill scream. I quickly slammed the door in Fang's confused face.

Hyperventilating, I leaned against the doorway, my face flushed.

I stared down stiffly at what I was wearing. Pajamas and a tank top. Thank god my clothes weren't any less revealing(Like Fang's).

Muttering to myself, I wrapped a towel around myself, stayed in the bathroom for a few minutes, then finally walked outside. Fang was nowhere to be seen, so I could only assume he

was already at class.

Class.

I was late!

I threw on a pair of jeans and a green t-shirt. After hurriedly putting on my sneakers, I ran all the way to Lerner's college.

~~~::~~~

The rest of the day, I avoided Fang. It was hard, since he sat next to me for about four classes.

I kept staring out the window, wishing I could just unfurl my wings and fly away. Flying…

"Max? Are you going to go to the interview?" Jessica's voice brought me back to reality.

"I miss Destiny." I said absentmindedly.

Jessica rolled her eyes. "We all do. Anyway, are you coming or not?"

"Interview?" I asked.

"We can attend this interview with an 11 year old who founded a school for extra credit." Jessica said.

"Um, okay. Are you coming too?" I replied, gathering my things. I just noticed that class was over.

"Yeah. My grades are dropping. I need the extra credit." Jessica nodded.

We walked out of the empty classroom together.

"When's it starting?" I asked her.

"In about thirty minutes. In the gym."

The last few kids were walking into a classroom for EST. Extra Study Time. I don't know who made up that name. Isn't that a elementary school term?

"I'll be in the library!" Jessica said. "See you!"

Soon, I was alone in the halls.

I decided to go outside, since the weather was nice. I pulled out the book I'd brought with me, sat down on the grass, and started reading.

I heard the footsteps. Then, a hand grabbed my shoulder.


	4. Angel

Fang's POV

For my extra studying time, I always hung out in the back corner of the library and read.

But, I caught sight of Max outside, grabbed my book, and decided to join her.

She seemed to be absorbed in her book, because she didn't turn around when I was a few inches from her. I knelt down behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

Next thing I knew, I had been pinned to the ground and was staring up at Max.

Whoa. No one was stronger than me. I mean, I usually win fights. Though this girl had managed to pin me to the ground. Hmm.

"Um…hi?" I said slowly. My voice came out in a whisper. Probably because I hadn't been talking for a while.

Silence ensued. I cleared my throat, prepared to say something a little louder. Maybe she hadn't heard me.

"Oh, I'm, uh, sorry." Max said quickly, scooting away from me.

Inside, I felt hurt.

_Because no one wants to be close to the emo kid,_ I thought glumly.

Max noticed my expression. "I don't mean that I, um, don't like being around you. I mean, you know, you're my room mate and…"

I nodded, getting up. "Yeah. You just have to put up with me for three weeks, and then it'll be over. I get it. I'll go now." I hadn't meant to blurt out that much info. I mean, she didn't know

I was there, invisible, when Destiny had been leaving.

I started to leave, but Max grabbed my arm. "Uh, wait!" She stammered.

I turned around. Too quickly. Max squeaked a little and her grasp dropped to my hand.

It was an awkward moment, but it felt nice. To me, anyways.

"You can…read with me if you want." Max offered, her hand slipping from mine.

Instantly, her warm presence was missed.

_Read?_ I asked myself, then remembered the book in my hand.

"Okay." I said, almost inaudibly.

For the rest of the time, we sat on the grass, back to back, reading our books. Well, I guess Max was reading.

I was too busy daydreaming about the amazing girl who was reading with me.

* * *

EST was over too quickly, in my opinion. Max stood up wordlessly and dusted off her jeans.

"Are you going to that interview?" I asked her.

"Yeah." Max nodded, and I brightened.

We walked to the gym together, and we met up with Jessica outside the doors.

"Hey, Max!" Jessica chirped. She glanced at me. "Um, hey, Fang." She smiled, a little nervously.

I scratched my head awkwardly, looking down.

"Jessica." Max hissed, elbowing her friend.

"Uh, sorry. Anyway, the interview's starting. Fang, you can sit with us." Jessica offered. I agreed silently, and we walked in.

I felt eyes on us. Mostly on me.

We took our seats near the front.

One of our teachers came out and introduced the eleven year old: Angel. Her brother was also there with her, named the Gasman.

Wonder why.

Angel and her brother, who was 13, took a seat next to each other next to our Principal Hemm.

"Good afternoon, Miss Angel." He greeted. "Thank you for being with us today."

"Call me Angel." The girl said, smiling warmly. For a second, our eyes met. And I felt some sort of…familiarity.

"Well, we'll start off this interview with a question: Why did you decide to develop a school?" Hemm asked.

"Well, I me and my brother, Gazzy, were once in an orphanage…Well, we still are." Angel giggled, and so did some of the students. "We saw a lot of children who were old enough to be in

school. And, we decided, why should they have to wait to be adopted to go to school?" Angel continued. The interview went on like this.

And then, they took a few questions from the audience.

Gazzy randomly picked a guy.

"Hey, dude, I got a question for you." The guy, who was Jason, said.

"Shoot." Gazzy said.

"Why are you nicknamed the Gasman?" Jason said. Everyone laughed. Except me.

"Well, the first thing I realized when Angel and I woke up, was that I had a funky digestive system." Gazzy chuckled.

"What's your real name?" Jason asked.

"Um, I don't know." Gazzy smiled abashedly. It continued like this.

Then a girl asked, "Do you know your parents?"

I saw Angel glare at her brother. I wasn't sure why.

"No." Angel replied smoothly.

"Elaborate." The girl persisted.

"Well, we woke up in the orphanage." Angel said. "We asked them about what happened, but they simply said they found us."

She met my eyes again, and I had a feeling she was lying.

_Am I?_ Her voice said in my head.

Wait, _her_ voice in _my_ head?

_Hello?_ I thought. I stared into Angel's eyes, and then my mind felt more…loose. Like a presence had gone.

Weird.

"Do you see yourselves different?" Max asked from beside me. Her voice seemed mesmerized.

Angel shifted her glance to Max, and seemed to be concentrating. The crowd of students hushed.

I saw Max blink confusedly once. "Well?" She said.

I saw Angel's mouth drop open, then close again. I saw her glance at her brother.

"Yeah. We're different. _Way_ different." Gazzy answered for her.

"Well, that's all the time we have." Principal Hemm stood up, and so did the siblings.

People were already getting up and starting to leave. Except me and Max.

I watched as Angel and Gazzy walk off the stage. Angel seemed to be angry about something, and the Gasman looked apologetic.

Then, quick as lightning, their heads turned to look at me. Their piercing blue eyes seemed so…

"Max?" Jessica snapped me out of my trance.

"Um, I'll catch up with you." Max murmured, sounding hypnotized.

I heard the last of the footsteps fade away and soon, it was just me and Max.

"Where'd they go?" I mumbled absentmindedly. I felt dizzy all of the sudden. Max turned to me, her eyes full of curiosity.

"They're headed for the parking lot." And then she realized that she'd said that to me. "Not that I care." She added.

"I'm coming too." I nodded, walking ahead of her.

The two siblings seemed weird…

I wanted to know more.


	5. More Freaks?

"Over here." I signaled to Max. "Ssh."

We silently crept outside the parking lot, where we'd last seen the siblings.

"Duck." Max warned. I immediately got on my knees behind a car. Max was beside me, her eyes wide.

_Do you think they saw us?_ Her eyes seemed to be asking.

I shrugged; I hadn't seen them yet. I got up to my knees, peering through the car's windows. Angel and Gazzy were standing on an empty parking space.

Were they waiting to be picked up?

"What were you thinking?" Angel was saying. "Saying we're _way_ different?!"

My eyes widened, and I glanced at Max. She was listening too, a look of horror and…relief?…spread across her face. Did that mean, they _were_ different. Were they somehow…like me?

"No one took it seriously." Gazzy denied.

"Well, I was digging around in people's thoughts." Angel said. "And this one girl. She was this close"-Angel pressed her index finger against her thumb to emphasize her point- "to finding

out."

"So why didn't you just erase her mind?" Gazzy asked casually, as if this were normal.

"I couldn't!" Angel screeched. "She managed to block me somehow. Gazzy, do you know what'll happen if they find out? We'll be…we'll be _freaks._ Freakier than before." Angel was starting

to cry.

"Aw, come on, sis." Gazzy put his arm around her shoulder. "We can fly home."

"Ssh!" Her sister hissed. "Someone might hear you!"

"No one's around." Gazzy said soothingly. "Let's just go."

After a few sniffles, Angel nodded and extended her wings. Maybe I hadn't seen them through the _slits_ in the back of their clothes. But I was seeing something now.

I was paralyzed. I couldn't move to glance at Max.

Gazzy also spread out his wings. They were white, like Angel's.

When I found the strength, I walked out from our hiding place. Gazzy had already took off.

Now, I faced Angel.

"Fang!" I heard Max whisper. "Get. Back. Here. NOW."

I didn't comply.

"You…" I stuttered.

"You didn't see anything." Angel said venomously. Her eyes glowed. Or was that just my imagination? "You didn't see anything. Both of you." Angel repeated, and then she was gone.

---

"Fang! Are you okay?"

Max was leaning over me.

I shut my eyes, trying to remember what just happened. The memory wouldn't come to me. As if something was preventing it.

I nodded and sat up. I looked around. Why were we in the parking lot?

"What? What's wrong?" Max asked.

"Why are we in the parking lot?" I whispered.

"Don't you remember? What just happened a few minutes ago before you passed out?" Max said. "Angel and Gazzy? Wings?!"

"Weren't they in the interview?" I said.

Max looked crestfallen.

"What? Is there something that I should know?" I asked.

"No." Max shook her head and stood up. "You wouldn't believe me."

_Well, I'm a kid with wings. Anything's possible,_ I thought. To her, I said, "Try me."

"Um, no. We-we better get back." Max nodded, mostly to herself.

Before I could protest, she was already running from me. The sky had darkened, thunder rumbled. Raindrops were starting to fall.

I started running towards the college.

When I finally reached it, Max was nowhere to be seen. People were staring at me.

I decided to drop the matter. I'd talk to her later.

-----

Max's POV

Later on, I hurried home.

I couldn't believe what I'd just seen in the parking lot. Angel and Gazzy had wings too?! I walked in the bathroom and extended my wings. They'd grown bigger, so now they were 19 feet

across. The brown speckles were darker. The white feathers were a little dimmer.

I consciously touched a feather.

So. I wasn't the only one with wings. _That_ was a relief.

"Does Fang have wings?" I thought out loud, then chuckled to myself. Probably not.

Probably…

"Max?" Fang's calm voice sounded from the other side of the door.

I quickly dove in the shower, regretting not locking the door.

I made a thump when I hit the bathtub.

"Max?" Fang said, sounding alert.

I let out a scream. "Why can't I have some privacy around here?!" I shrieked, pretending to be naked and covering myself with the shower curtain.

Fang cursed and then slammed the door close.

"You didn't lock it!" He growled.

"The lights were on!" I shouted back. I stood up, retracting my wings.

"You should lock the door if you want privacy!" Fang said.

"You should have knocked!" I said.

_Ring, ring_

"AAAH!" I screamed and toppled back into the bathtub.

"Max?!" Fang called. "Are you okay?!"

"Get me the phone!" I groaned, sitting up.

A few seconds later, Fang knocked on the door again.

"The phone's out here." He said. It was still ringing.

"Then get in here." I said.

"But…"

I could imagine him gulping.

"I'm not naked, idiot!" I said. He sure was talking a lot more, lately.

The door opened hesitantly, and Fang saw me sitting in the bathtub. He handed me the phone wordlessly. Before it could stop ringing, I answered it.

"Hello?" I said.

"Hi." Iggy replied.

"Oh. Hi. What?" I asked.

"Well, you know that magazine Jessica wanted to get in _really badly?_" Iggy said nervously.

"Yeah." I nodded. Fang was looking at me.

"Well, she got in." Iggy said.

"Tell her I'm happy for her." I said. _But I don't care about magazines,_ I continued silently. Fang smirked at me, seeming to know what I was thinking. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"I _can't._" Iggy sounded desperate. "She's gone crazy. Right now, she's eating ice cream after two hours of screaming and forcing me to cheer with her. Max, _help me._"

"You can come over. Both of you." I sighed. Today was Friday, anyway.

Fang looked at me confusedly.

"Is, um, Fang home?" Iggy asked hesitantly. Fang frowned.

"Yeah. He can hear you right now." I said, grinning.

"Oh. Well, I'll see you---" Iggy started to say, but then a hyper Jessica cut him off.

"I got in! I got in!" She squealed in delight.

"Jess, calm down!" I screamed.

Silence…

I heard the phone being ripped from Iggy's hand.

"Max, Max! I got in!" Jessica said breathlessly.

"Yeah, I heard that the first time. I told Ig you guys can come over." I said.

"Okay!" Jessica hung up, and I momentarily felt sorry for Iggy.

"Who's Iggy?" Fang asked.

"A friend." I replied, getting up.

I glanced at Fang. "Why are you scowling?" I inquired.

Fang looked up. "I'm not."

_Yes you were,_ I thought.

"Don't worry." I told him. "He's with Jessica already."

Fang blushed, and I giggled.


	6. Max is a Party Pooper!

Fang's POV

Iggy and Jessica arrived about fifteen minutes later. By then, I was still blushing a little, and Max kept grinning at me.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid,_ I thought, trying hard not to bang my head against the wall.

"MAX!" Jessica squealed, jumping around.

"Hey, dude." Iggy smiled at me. I smiled only a little, because I had a reputation to maintain. As Jessica started talking to Max about the magazine, Iggy turned to me.

"Where's the bathroom?" He asked me.

I pointed down the hallway. Iggy just stood there expectantly.

Then I remembered he was blind.

"Um, down the hall, first door on the right." I said.

"Thanks." Iggy walked away.

"Hey, Fang!" Jessica called.

I winced as I turned to her.

"Do you like magazines?" She asked.

I shook my head.

"I _know_!" Jessica continued. "The director of the magazine, Monique, is _really_ cool. Hey, Max. Remember those designs I showed you last week? Well, Monique's coming over to see them!"

Max shot me a smile, then continued.

"Poker!" Iggy called out, lugging a silver case into the living room.

"You're going to win." Max complained.

"Oh, come on." Iggy started handing out cards and chips.

"Aren't you playing?" Jessica asked me.

"Fine." I sat down in between Iggy and Jessica. Max was across from me.

After a few minutes, the game started. When it was Iggy's turn, he shouted, "All in!"

"What? Already?" Jessica asked, irritated.

Iggy cackled. At my turn, I pushed all my chips forward, too.

"Ooh!" Max taunted.

She and Jessica had folded.

In the end, Iggy won.

"It's okay, Fang." Jessica patted my back. "He always wins."

"I don't wanna play anymore." Max announced.

"Fine." Iggy harrumphed. "What do _you_ want to do?"

"Where do you keep your Cds?" Jessica asked Max.

"Over there." Max replied, pointing beside the TV.

"Perfect." Jessica started looking. She chose one and pushed it in the stereo. A lively tune started playing.

"Jess, I don't dance!" Max said.

"Party pooper." Jessica said. "Come on, Iggy!"

She hauled Iggy to his feet and they started dancing in a way I would _never._ Max walked off to the bathroom.

I followed her, then found she'd closed the door. Remembering the last incident, I decided to be nice and knocked on the door.

"Thanks for knocking." Max shouted over the music.

The door opened, and there she stood.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Trying to find a ponytail." Max answered.

"And you locked the door?" I said skeptically.

"None of your beeswax." She said, then walked past me.

The lively tune died down, and then was replaced by a slow song.

"Jess, you know I hate these kinds of songs!" Max said angrily.

"Party pooper. Party pooper." Jessica chanted. Iggy cut her off when he took her by the waist and they started dancing. I leaned against the wall, watching them.

Max walked up to me.

For a whole minute, we just stared at each other. "Well?" Max finally said. "Aren't you going to ask me to dance?"

The corners of my mouth quirked into a smile, and I took her hand. I observed Iggy, and placed both hands on Max's waist. I felt her tense up, but then she calmed down.

Unexpectedly, Max pulled herself up against me, so that her head was leaning on my chest.

I was blushing as we rocked back in forth.

_This is nice,_ I thought absentmindedly.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Iggy grinning big.


	7. Fang the Brick Wall

Fang's POV

The next morning, Max was still sleeping by 10:00am. She looked tired, so I didn't wake her up.

I walked in the kitchen and got out some eggs and bacon. I started cooking.

"Oh, you can cook too?" Someone said behind me.

"Morning." I said. The pan sizzled as I poured the oil for the eggs.

"I can't." Max said.

"Who cooked?" I asked.

"Destiny." Max nodded, then observed breakfast from under my arm. I cracked the egg open.

"Scrambled or sunny side up?" I asked.

"Sunny side up, please." Max answered.

I nodded. I heard shuffling behind me as Max set the table.

"Why'd you wake up? You could have just kept sleeping." I told her.

"Nah." Max said. I used the spatula to place the egg onto a plate. I started working on the next one. After that, I made the bacon.

About twenty minutes later, we were eating silently.

"Did you have fun last night?" Max finally asked.

I nodded, blushing slightly from the memory of dancing with her.

"Jessica asked if we were getting together." She said quietly.

I almost choked on bacon. "Did we look like it?"

"I guess so." Max studied her food. She looked, I don't know, disappointed.

Oh, crap.

"It's a possibility." I added, standing up. I was finished. I started washing my plate at the sink. I dried them, then put them back in the cabinet.

"I'm gonna go fl---get some fresh air." I said. I mentally hit myself. I'd almost said _fly._

"Okay." Max nodded. She didn't seem suspicious or anything. Exhaling quietly, I walked out of our house. I ran to the backyard, snapped my wings out, and soon, I was in the air.

--  
Max's POV

What had he meant, it was a possibility?

"He likes me?" I thought out loud after he had gone. I looked at the empty seat in front of me, and an image of Fang eating came up.

He acted like he liked me. Did I like him?

I pondered about this as I stood up and started pacing. It was a habit.

"He's a friend." I decided. "I'm going to go and fly." I added for no one in particular. I grabbed my IPod and headed for the door.

Outside was quiet. Everyone would still be sleeping after staying up late last night.

I let out my wings and did a running takeoff.

Once I was high in the air, I looked around. It seemed empty, except for a raven in the distance.

I started making circles. I put the earphones in my ears and clipped the IPod onto my jeans. It started playing Love Song, by Taylor Swift. I narrowed my eyes and put it on shuffle. I

clicked Next. The next song that came up was My Life Would Suck Without You, by Kelly Clarkson. Suddenly angry, I pressed Next again.

The next song was Halo, by Beyonce. After that, You Light Up My Life, by Debbie Boone.

Growling, I chose to a random Linkin Park song. Finally at peace, I resumed flying.

Sometime later, my eyes drifted shut, and I was in such a peaceful state that I would have fallen asleep. But I didn't.

Instead, I crashed into this _brick wall_.

I rubbed my face and looked up. No, it wasn't a brick wall. It was just Fang. Wait…Fang?

I glanced behind him.

Were those…_wings?!_

.

.

.

.

"F-Fang?" I stuttered.

"Max?" Fang asked incredulously.

"You-you have wings!" I gasped, feeling more shocked than I was ever in my whole life.

Guess what happened next? Go ahead, guess. I'll wait….okay, waiting's over. Here's what happened: I fainted.

--

I woke up on a couch with a wet, warm towel on my forehead. Fang was sitting beside my feet.

"I'm not sick." I muttered, throwing the towel off.

I shut my eyes, trying to asses what just happened.

_I went flying, bumped into Fang, found out he had wings…_

"You have wings!" I gasped again.

I almost fainted again, but thank god I didn't.

"I was hoping you'd forget what you just saw, but yeah." Fang rubbed the back of his neck.

"You have wings." I repeated for the third time.

"And so do you." Fang said.

"You have wings." I said again. "And I have wings. We…the same…"

For the first time in my whole life, I was speechless. I always had a snappy come back, but this…this…

"You have wings!" I cried out, for the fifth time.

"I get it!" Fang said.

"You want to explain?" I asked shakily.

Fang seemed cautious, but then seemed to remember that I had wings too. "Not much, really." He confessed. "I woke up with them."

"M-me too." I said, still trembling.

Fang's eyes widened the slightest bit, and then he pulled me into a hug.

It would have been weird for anyone, I guess. Hugging someone you barely knew. But after finding out Fang had wings, it explained so much.

Why he was so cautious.

Why, three years ago, a mysterious boy enrolled in the same high school as me, with no records or not background.

"Look, keep this a secret?" I looked up at Fang. He nodded, back to his silent self.

Inside, my mind was spinning. Fang had wings. Angel and Gazzy had wings, too. Who else?

I was dying to ask Fang if he had seen Angel and Gazzy's wings. But on that day, when he woke up, he seemed so lost and confused. He acted like he hadn't remembered anything.

And finding out that his room mate was a winged bird kid like him was probably enough for a day.


End file.
